The present invention relates to an enhanced network architecture for providing Calling-Party-Pays billing services for customers of a wireless telephone network, such as cellular or personal communication service (PCS) customers. The enhancements particularly help to reduce the number of calls to the Calling-Party-Pays customers that the carrier(s) can not properly bill to the caller.
Modern society offers people many opportunities and in fact places many demands on people to communicate with each other, often over great distances. One of the most common forms of communication involves conversational speech communicated between two or more parties through a telephone network. Modem society also is becoming increasingly mobile. Many new communications services have emerged, to allow people to communicate freely as they roam, without the need for a fixed network connection.
Wireless telephone communication systems have evolved from the Advanced Mobile Phone Service (AMPS) technology, introduced around 1983, to more sophisticated digital-based air interface protocols. Digital access technologies have been developed based on Time Division Multiple Access (TDMA) or Code Division Multiple Access (CDMA) schemes. These digital access technologies are more efficient relative to analog-based access technologies such as AMPS. Digital access technologies have substantial advantages over analog-based systems. Digital cellular systems, however, have not yet been deployed in as many regions as AMPS-based systems. Hence, digital cellular subscribers are offered continuous coverage via dual-mode wireless telephones capable of switching between a digital mode (e.g., CDMA) and an analog mode (e.g., AMPS) based on the availability of a certain technology.
In a normal landline telephone service, call charges are billed to the subscriber associated with the calling station. For purposes of discussion, it sometimes is assumed that the caller is the subscriber associated with the calling station. It will be understood, however, that any one of a number of other persons may be the actual party using the calling station. Long distance charges, for example, normally go to the account of the subscriber associated with the calling station unless the actual caller and/or the called party make some special arrangement, such as an agreement for collect call billing or an 800/888 type xe2x80x9ctoll-freexe2x80x9d calling arrangement. The wireless industry, however, started with a different billing paradigm.
In the United States, the customary billing practice for wireless services has been for the party subscribing to the wireless service to pay for all air-time charges. The wireless carrier charged a monthly subscription fee plus per-minute fees for telephone communications over-the-air to and from each subscriber""s telephone. A wireless subscriber paid for the air-time, both on outgoing calls and on incoming calls directed to the subscriber""s cellular or PCS telephone. The costs for wireless air-time tended to be high, compared to costs for traditional telephone services.
As a result of the billing paradigm, many wireless subscribers have been reluctant to widely distribute their wireless telephone numbers. Most subscribers did not want to incur large expenses for wireless service usage, particularly on calls from relatively unknown parties, e.g. on solicitation calls. Wireless subscribers often utilized their wireless telephone for outgoing calls, as needed; but they gave their wireless telephone numbers to a limited number of friends or family from whom they were willing to pay to receive calls.
To increase usage and encourage wireless customers to utilize their wireless telephones more even to the extent of replacing landline telephone services, the wireless industry has developed a modified billing arrangement, commonly referred to as xe2x80x9cCalling Party Pays.xe2x80x9d The intent of the service is to generally shift the air-time charges for calls to the wireless telephones from the wireless subscribers to the callers. The calling party pays for all network charges, in a manner more like that used in the normal landline service billing. A number of techniques have been developed for processing and billing call charges on a Calling Party Pays basis.
For example, U.S. Pat. No. 5,353,331 to Emery et al. discloses an intelligent network type integrated wireless and wireline system for processing calls to and from a Personal Communication Service (PCS) subscriber""s wireless handset via a home base station or a public cellular network. The service logic in the integrated service control point (ISCP) facilitates of variety of service enhancements to the wireless PCS service. One of the disclosed service enhancements is calling party pays. When the intelligent network functionality detects a call to the PCS customer""s number, the network accesses a call processing record for that customer. Based on that record, the network screens the call based on the caller""s identity. If the caller is not a recognized party, the ISCP database causes the network to play an announcement asking the caller if he or she is willing to pay all charges for the call. If the PCS subscriber is currently registered via a public wireless network switching office, the announcement would ask if the caller is willing to pay for the air time necessary to complete the call via a wireless link. If the caller accepts the charges, the ISCP provides messages to a landline switch and/or to a mobile switch to instruct them to complete the call and to add charges for the air time to the calling party""s telephone bill.
U.S. Pat. No. 5,579,379 to D""Amico et al. includes a disclosure of an AIN-based PCS service essentially the same as in the above discussed Emery et al. Patent. The D""Amico et al. Patent, however, adds further details to the calling party pays operations of that network. When a call directed to a mobile subscriber is detected, the call processing is stopped to determine if the calling party pays feature is in operation. At the same time, the network collects data regarding the calling party for analysis. If the called subscriber is using the calling party pays feature, the ISCP analyzes the caller data to determine if the caller is on a list of those individuals not required by the particular mobile service subscriber to pay for cellular charges. If the calling party does not fall in this category, the network provides an announcement to the calling party, asking the calling party whether or not the calling party is willing to pay for air time necessary to complete the call. In the D""Amico et al. system, if the caller inputs an answer indicating willingness to pay for the air-time, the AIN network functionality obtains correct billing information, and the network completes the call and computes the cellular charges.
In systems like those of Emery et al. and D""Amico et al., a landline carrier typically operates the intelligent network and performs the routing services, for certain aspects of the follow-me functionality of the PCS service. The carrier operating that network also performs the billing services related to the Calling Party Pays feature. Essentially, if the caller is a subscriber of the landline carrier, that carrier adds the air-time charges for the subscriber""s normal telephone bill. The landline network carrier, rather than the cellular carrier, bears the responsibility of billing the calling party.
In U.S. Pat. No. 5,557,664, Burns et al. utilize a central database to determine whether to bill a calling party or a called party for charges for completion of a call to a mobile telephone. The system illustrated in this Patent includes switches of a local exchange carrier network, switches of an interexchange carrier (IXC) network, one or more mobile switching centers and a service processor with announcement facilities, service logic and a database. If a caller at station dials a telephone number of a party who subscribes to the calling party pays service, the local exchange switches extend the call to the originating IXC switch. The originating IXC switch provides a message, containing the dialed telephone number, to the service processor. The service processor retrieves a record corresponding to the dialed telephone number, and causes the announcement platform to provide an announcement regarding the pricing of the call through the network to the calling party. If the caller responds to the announcement by staying on the line to indicate acceptance of the charges, the service processor instructs the originating IXC switch to record billing information and notifies the billing system to charge the caller""s account. The service processor also provides the mobile identification number (MN) for completion of the call, to the originating IXC switch. The IXC network includes an indicator, preferably in the form of the dialed number, together with the MIN in the signaling to the mobile switching center, as an indication to inhibit normal billing for the call.
U.S. Pat. No. 5,473,667 to Neustein discloses a paging network. The system utilizes an automated attendant, which prompts a caller for desired information, to make a page. As part of the control of a paging operation, a central processor checks the profile of the paged party in the profile data base. The profile data enables the system to provide a number of enhanced services to paging service subscribers. Of note, one of the enhanced services is a service in which a paging party pays for the service on a per call basis. With the disclosed calling party pays type paging service, the caller calls the nearest central station and dials in the number of the pager he desires to page. The caller then enters his own billing number, for example his own telephone number or calling card number. If the billing number is valid, the system accepts an alphanumeric message or voice message from the caller and initiates paging of the called party""s paging apparatus.
While all of the systems described above provide some level of effectiveness in billing for air-time to the calling party, each has certain practical limitations in actual use. When implemented in a real network, typically one carrier actually performs the calling party billing service for the wireless service provider. For example, using the Emery et al. type approach, a local exchange carrier might contract with a cellular carrier to perform the Calling Party Pays billing. In the Burns et al. system the IXC performs the billing. In the Neustein system, at least some billing is done through a separate credit card or calling card company. All of the prior art systems have been subject to some leakage, because invariably, the company processing the bills can not efficiently bill every type of caller.
As a practical matter, the carrier performing the bill processing function can pass the Calling Party Pays charges on only to those calling parties with whom that carrier has some type of existing billing arrangements. The local exchange carrier example actually provides the most effective solution, because on a very large percentage (typically 80-85%) of calls to the wireless telephone customers the callers are within the service area and are customers of the local exchange carrier. In such cases, the local exchange carrier can easily add the Calling Party Pays charges to the normal telephone bills for the callers. However, some calls will not originate from customers of the billing carrier. In the local carrier example, that carrier has no billing relationship with parties who make incoming calls through an interexchange carrier, parties calling from payphones, parties calling from a hotel or motel or hospital, parties served by a competing local exchange carrier, parties calling from other wireless networks, etc. Calls that the billing carrier can not process to bill the charges to the calling party are considered xe2x80x9cleakagexe2x80x9d with respect to the Calling Party Pays service,
The wireless carrier could elect not to complete calls that the billing carrier could not process for Calling Party Pays service (leakage), and the carriers would set the call processing logic accordingly. However, this limits the types of incoming calls that the network completes. This blockage of certain calls limits the attractiveness of the Calling Party Pays service to wireless customers and sends a conflicting message to subscribers, particularly when the wireless carrier also is trying to encourage subscribers to widely distribute their wireless numbers to potential callers. To broaden usage in spite of leakage, some carriers have completed all incoming calls, and the wireless service carrier and/or the billing carrier has absorbed the leakage as a cost of doing business. However, this forced the carrier(s) involved to charge higher fees for the services or accept reduced profitability when compared to wireless services billed in the normal manner. Particularly from the point of view of the wireless carrier, who normally charges a per minute fee for all air-time, any completed but unbilled calling party pays calls essentially appear as lost revenues.
The other option for handling the problematic types of calls is to complete the calls to the subscriber but charge the air-time rates to the called subscriber. Clearly, this approach defeats the purpose of the Calling Party Pays service. Often, the subscriber does not know if an incoming call receives the Calling Party Pays treatment or accrues an air-time charge to the subscriber""s own account. As a result, the wireless service subscribers remain reluctant to distribute their wireless telephone numbers to large numbers of potential calling parties, who may call in such a manner as to still generate charges to the subscribers.
Clearly a need exists for systems and methodologies which enable one or more carriers to provide Calling Party Pays wireless services, with little or no leakage, i.e. no class of calls that the carriers can not efficiently bill to the calling party.
The invention addresses the above stated needs and overcomes the stated problems by providing a network architecture and call processing logic, which enable Calling Party Pays billing for calls to wireless subscribers including incoming calls that would otherwise leak through the billing operations of the principle carriers. A landline network routes incoming calls for a Calling Party Pays subscriber to the wireless carrier""s network. The landline network recognizes each call subject to Calling Party Pays billing. If the carrier operating the landline network can bill a party associated with the calling station, that network routes the call to the mobile carrier""s network and creates records for billing for the air-time. However, if the landline network can not bill a particular calling party, the landline network hands the call off to another switch. This switch provides access to one or more alternate billing facilities. The alternate billing facilities preferably include a clearinghouse and a credit card billing system. A database indicates whether it is possible to bill for the air-time through the clearinghouse. If so, the switch completes the call to the mobile carrier""s network and creates appropriate records to enable the clearinghouse to bill the air-time to the party associated with the calling station. If the caller is not billable through the clearinghouse, the switch extends the call to the automated credit card billing system. The credit card system makes all necessary records to bill the air-time charges for the call and bills the time against the caller""s credit card account.
Thus, one aspect of the present invention relates to a method of providing a calling party pays billing treatment on a call to a wireless subscriber station. The method entails routing a call for a telephone number of a calling party pays type wireless service subscriber station from a calling station, through a landline network operated by a carrier, to a predetermined switching office of the landline network. Upon detection that calling party pays billing should apply to the call, a determination is made as to whether or not the landline carrier can bill charges to a party associated with the calling station. If so, the method involves routing the call from the predetermined switching office to the wireless communication network serving the called wireless station. When the wireless network completes the call to the called station, the switching office of the landline network records appropriate call completion data. The call completion data is forwarded to a billing system operated by the landline carrier, and that carrier""s billing system bills the party associated with the calling station for the completion of the call through the wireless network. For example, the billed completion charges will include any air-time charges imposed by the wireless carrier.
In the inventive method, if the landline carrier can not bill charges to a party associated with the calling station, the method proceeds with call completion and billing via a different sequence of steps. Under these circumstances, the method involves routing the call from the switching office to another switching office. A determination is made to identify one of a plurality of alternate billing facilities, which can bill the charges to a party associated with the calling station. Call data recording for the identified alternate billing facility is started, and the call is routed to the wireless network for completion to the wireless subscriber station. This recording of data enables billing the party associated with the calling station for completion of the call. The billed party may be a subscriber associated with the calling station. The subscriber may be the actual person making the call or another user of the station. In some cases, the billed party is the actual caller, for example, when the call is billed to the caller""s credit card account.
In the preferred embodiment, the landline carrier network is an intelligent implementation of a switched telephone network. The office providing the communication link to the wireless network has access to a database and/or a control node of the intelligent network. Call processing may involve access to the database or control node to determine if the call is to a Calling Party Pays subscriber station. Access to control records in the node determines if there is an applicable exception to the Calling Party Pays billing feature and/or whether or not the particular landline carrier can bill a party associated with the calling station. Typically, a node of the intelligent network determines whether or not the calling station is that of a subscriber to services of the landline carrier.
The alternate billing facilities preferably include an existing clearinghouse system, which may be similar to systems commonly used for clearing roaming charges between various cellular service providers. The alternate billing facilities also may include a credit card billing system. The identification of one alternate billing facility to handle a call involves accessing a database of subscriber related information to determine if the party associated with the calling station is billable through the clearinghouse. If so, then the switch routes the call to the wireless network and accumulates accounting data regarding the call. After disconnection of the call, the switch forwards the data to the clearinghouse, for use in later generation of the invoice to the party of the calling station. However, if the clearinghouse can not bill the party affiliated with the calling station, then the credit card billing facility is selected.
In the preferred embodiment, the credit card billing system then interacts with the caller to obtain appropriate billing information to enable alternate billing, typically to the caller""s credit card account. The switch then routes the call to the mobile carrier""s network and instructs the mobile carrier""s network not to record data regarding completion. In this situation, the credit card billing system remains connected to the call through the switch. The credit card billing system rates the call for billing purposes and makes all necessary records to bill the air-time charges for the completed Calling Party Pays call to the credit card account of the caller.
The access to one or more alternative billing facilities essentially provides one or more mechanisms to handle Calling Party Pays calls that the landline carrier and its facilities can not readily process for billing purposes. As a result, if the calls are completed to the wireless subscriber station, there is a facility with the capability to bill the calling party or other party associated with the calling station. Virtually no calls leak through for completion to the called wireless station without application of some form of the Calling Party Pays billing procedures.
The subscriber may elect to set up one or more exceptions, to allow certain persons to call the wireless station without having to pay. In these situations, the called subscriber agrees to pay. These exception calls, however, are not leakage because the subscriber determines precisely who may complete such calls, and the wireless carrier bills the air-time charges to the wireless subscriber in the normal course of business.
The improved efficiency of the Calling Party Pays billing procedures, provided by the invention, eliminates potential losses in revenues to the carriers and makes distribution of wireless telephone numbers more attractive to wireless subscribers.
Additional objects, advantages and novel features of the invention will be set forth in part in the description which follows, and in part will become apparent to those skilled in the art upon examination of the following or may be learned by practice of the invention. The objects and advantages of the invention may be realized and attained by means of the instrumentalities and combinations particularly pointed out in the appended claims.